There is a crucial distinction to be made between proximity to Jesus and communion with Jesus. We heard in the message today that the Lord’s brothers did not believe in Him, even though they grew up right next to Him. They had proximity. It was not until later that they had faith.
As one Puritan noted, not everyone who hangs around the court speaks with the king. You are here in His court. You have been seated at His Table. Do not neglect the opportunity.
You are here at the Table of a king. You have every right to be here, provided you are trusting in Him. He has welcomed you. He sits at the head of the Table, and He has provided His own body and blood for the meal. He waits for you to speak to Him. You are here in order to commune with Jesus.
You are not here to commune with yourself. So do not curl up into a little spiritual ball in order to gaze at your sins. Do not close your eyes in order to reflect on what a bad person you are. We do not deny the fact of our sinfulness, but we have come to God through the gospel in order to be delivered from that sinfulness. That is why this is good news.
Look up. Look out. Look to Jesus, and speak with Him. Look around at His body, and rejoice that you have been incorporated into it.
When you meditate, mediate on your deliverance. When you reflect, remember that God did not send His Son into the world—which we are in the midst of celebrating—in order to condemn the world. In order for the world to be condemned, nothing whatever needed to be done. The world was condemned already. In order to be saved, Jesus needed to come, and that is why He came. He came for salvation, not condemnation.
So come, and welcome, to Jesus Christ.
What wonderful words! The Lord’s Supper is not a routine matter to be experienced without feeling. It is a gracious invitation. It assures us of life.